Data compiled by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) shows that some 1,051 Ghanaians boarded flights from various countries around the world to Ghana using Ghana Card in the first half of this year.
The monthly arrivals are January – 125, February – 330, March – 521, April – 39, May – 32 and June – 4.
This was collated from the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) booth at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), which processes Ghana Card returning home from abroad.
Per the records, a total of 21 airlines allowed Ghanaians to use Ghana Card to board at various destinations around the world to Ghana.
In terms of the number of Ghana Card users each airline brought home during the period; Emirates brought in 554, KLM – 123, Air France – 80, British Airways – 76, Ethiopian Airlines – 67, United Airlines – 42, Delta Airways – 28, ASKY Airlines – 14, Brussels Airlines – 12 and African World Airlines-10.
The rest are Kenya Airways – 9, South African Airways – 6, Egypt Air – 6, Qatar Airways – 6, Turkish Airlines – 4, Air Cote D’Ivoire – 4, Tap Air Portugal – 3, Air Burkina – 1, Middle East Airlines – 1, Royal Air Maroc – 1 and Rwand Air – 1.
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), in February 2022, officially confirmed that Ghana Card meets the requirements for an international travel document, which means holders of the card, once Ghana enters into bilateral agreements with individual nations, will be able to use the Ghana Card as a travel document to those countries with electronic visas.
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia revealed in November 2021, during a lecture at Ashesi University that processes had been completed for the Ghana Card to be recognised as an international travel document by the ICAO the global body that certifies means of international travel identification.
Until that, the Ghana Card can now be used as a travel document by all holders returning to Ghana from airports around the world.
Following this, Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) sent announcements to all airports and airlines on the use of the Ghana Card as an acceptable International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) compliant Machine Readable Travel Document (MRTD) for Ghanaians for international travel to all Ghanaian airports.
Travellers can verify the cards at airports and with airlines to travel directly to Ghana from 197 ICAO compliant countries and 44,000 airports around the world.
Also, Ghanaians can travel to countries that enter into agreements with Ghana to permit the use of the Ghana Card to travel to their countries as has been agreed amongst Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries whose cards meet the ECOWAS Machine Readable Travel Document (MRTD) e-passport ICAO compliant specifications and put in the right legal regime.
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